The Wild, Wild West BSG Style
by blondevor
Summary: AU story set in the Wild West no spoilers. Starbuck leads a gang of bandits. Lee is a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army. Well, when HAS it been easy for them? Read and Review please!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't any of it and this is just for fun

Archive: Sure but let me know where

This is my first BSG fic so go easy on me. This is totally AU with absolutely no spoilers. Starbuck is the leader of a ring of bandits and Lee is a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army back in the wild west. All history etc. is purely of my own making and most likely NOT accurate. Please read and review! I love feedback so let me know if I should continue.

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**The Wild, Wild West – The Naming**

He felt the change in the air a few moments before he looked behind and saw the dust cloud of riders heading his way. Lee kicked his heels, urging his horse to go faster.

_What the hell had possessed him to go out scouting by himself?_

His horse Galactica was the best there was but even he could see that they were gaining on him. The only thing keeping him from whipping out his pistol and firing was the fact that they weren't Indians. At least he'd keep his head…

The riders overtook him a few minutes later, forming a circle around him, forcing him to rein Galactica in and see what they wanted. Surely even bandits would have some respect for his rank.

The leader of the group circled their horse around him, taking their sweet time, checking he and his horse out.

_If they took Galactica and left him here he was a goner._

"Well look at what we have here gentlemen…Prime USDA United States Army meat."

_Was that a woman's voice?_

Lee cocked his head in her direction, fixing a steel blue gaze on her and her horse.

"Staff Sergeant Lee Adama. You are in protected territory." He told her, hoping he came across stronger than he felt. Clearly he was outnumbered and even though he had nothing of real value on his person, he'd heard the stories of what bandits did to you if they caught you. Not as permanent as what the Indians would do but not something he wanted to personally experience.

Their leader snorted.

"Well aren't you the cocky one? We're well aware of that STAFF SERGEANT. Just who the hell do you think corralled your ass before the toasters could get to you?"

_Make that mighty fine ass, Starbuck thought to herself._

"Excuse me, toasters?" Lee asked, utterly confused.

"Yeah, the toasters. The Indians. You've heard of them right? The one's who would rather toast your ass over an open fire than make polite conversation like we are now."

She explained to him, laughing and turning to her colleagues as if it were some private joke.

"Or did you think LEE ADAMA that the rules, in that pretty little rule book that goes with that nice blue uniform you're wearing, still applied out here?" She continued.

She was trying to goad him into an argument, give her an excuse to pull out that gun that he could plainly see in her holster. Well, she would be sorely disappointed. He had a mission to complete and nothing, NO ONE, kept him from his doing his duty.

"To whom am I speaking?" He asked, ignoring her jabs at his patriotism.

Again, she snorted, and then she proceeded to pull the black bandana off her face and smirk, yes that was a smirk, at him.

Lee blinked, twice.

By gods, she was beautiful! What was a woman like **that** doing leading a band of bandits? Her long blonde hair flowed freely now without the constraint of the bandana and her eyes, the colors of the forest of nature, he could easily get lost in them. Again the thought hit him.

_What the hell was she doing out here?_

"Starbuck's the name and these are my nuggets." She told him, gesturing around to the group of 20 men surrounding her.

"Nuggets?" He asked, unable to help himself. Where had she come from with all these bizarre words?

She laughed, clearly enjoying his unease. She was pushing him; he could feel the frustration rising up, threatening to make him do something that he knew he would regret.

He wanted to throttle her. He wanted to kiss her.

She moved her horse in closer to his…circling him again, mere inches from him as she spoke in her husky voice that obviously did strange things to him.

"Nuggets, you know? Those pieces of gold that you pick up and you just know are going to be worth their weight someday after you smooth out the rough edges and polish them up a bit. Kinda like those shiny gold stripes you've got…"

She stopped in front him and reached out one slender very female hand.

"Right there." She finished, tapping her nails on his stripes.

Lee was amazed at her audacity! Even more amazed that the men clearly bowed to her leadership. He was beginning to understand why they called this the Wild West. But no one, not even a very attractive woman, touched his stripes.

"Don't touch me." He ground out between clenched teeth.

Starbuck noticed the vein in his neck standing out, just waiting to be bitten. What was it about this soldier that made her want to frak him instead of shoot him? Instead of waiting for her own answer, she moved in even closer.

"I don't think you know who you're FRAKKING with." She hissed at him; her mouth so close that he could claim it…if he thought he could do so without getting killed.

He was going to turn the tables on this so-called Starbuck. What kind of a name was that anyway?

He leaned in, even closer than she had been, before he spoke, noticing a few of her riders bring their horses in closer as well.

"It would seem that the bandits out here have developed a new vocabulary. Toasters? Nuggets? Frakking? So please oh mighty Starbuck, forgive me if I'm not keeping up and if I don't know who I'm FRAKKING with!"

He expected to have a gun at his temple.

He expected that his mouth and temper had finally gotten the best of him.

What he did not expect was what happened next.

In one quick motion, he was lying on the ground with Starbuck on top of him, eyes on fire. All the riders had moved in and the one closest to her had grabbed her horse's reigns.

"This is _usually_ how frakking starts Adama…" She whispered in his ear.

He could smell the dust and her horse and the leather from her chaps and it was making him crazy…add to that her sensual voice in his ear and he was unable to keep his body from responding. And he was quite sure that the hardening in his lower body would NOT go unnoticed.

Starbuck felt him respond to her and ground her hips against him harder. Why were the ones she wanted always in some stuffy uniform? Why couldn't she ever want the bad boys?

"Starbuck…" Lee pushed out between his now shallow breaths.

She couldn't tell if it was a warning or an invitation but either way she only enjoyed an audience for so long. Her men were watching and his eyes were like stars, twinkling, beckoning her.

It was time to find out if he was the kind of man she had decided he should be. It had been too long since she'd had an equal.

And before Lee could blink, she was off of him and back on her horse.

"You've got a few minutes before the toasters show up. I suggest you follow us APOLLO. They do teach you that back in the academy don't they? Just follow the stars Apollo or Starbuck as the case may be."

She grinned, winked at him and was galloping at top speed away from him, her nuggets following.

Thank the gods! They had left his horse.

He stood up, shook the dirt of his uniform, and mounted Galactica. Already she was becoming a small speck in the distance and it left an empty spot in him.

And then it hit him. "Apollo?"

There were certainly worse names she could have chosen.

He smiled, kicked his heels in and headed his horse in the direction she had gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't any of it and this is just for fun

Archive: Sure but let me know where

Yeah! I'm so thrilled at the response to my story. Thank you for the reviews – they definitely make me want to continue with this. I loved some of your suggestions too…I'll try not to steal too many of them :)

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**The Wild, Wild West – Following Fate**

Kara resisted the urge to look behind her.

What did she care if some superior asshole took her advice, saving his skin in the process? I mean, really, it wasn't like he was the first man she'd had the hots for. And she had a reputation to prove it.

Under her bandana, she grinned saucily, remembering just how good he had looked and felt in that perfectly snug uniform. All sorts of ridiculous fantasies played through her mind.

_Yes Sir. No sir. Pretty please sir._

Out here in the wide-open space you had take your recreation where you could find it. Maybe they'd get a game of Texas Hold'em going tonight…she could use a few extra stogies.

Leaning her shoulders into the wind, she pushed her horse Viper on. They had a lot of ground to cover to get to camp before nightfall hit and she needed to save her indulgent thoughts until then. Her nuggets depended on her to be focused out here, to lead them to California.

She wasn't about to let the toasters or one Lee Adama frak up her destiny.

But her smile turned to a frown because if Kara Thrace knew anything at all, she knew that she was perfectly capable of frakking it up all on her own.

**A few hours later**

Lee had caught up with them about an hour ago but kept a safe distance just in case any of her nuggets got any wild ideas.

They were at least a day away from his infantry at this rate.

_No going back now Apollo…_

"Frak!" He cursed out loud.

Where the hell had that thought come from? And why was he using her crazy words? Was this Starbuck a medicine woman or something?

He felt bewitched by her.

Lee Adama wasn't a deserter. He was a company man. He was a leader, a patriot. He believed that justice would prevail, no matter the circumstances and through the proper channels.

So why the hell was he following a band of bandits led by someone who calls herself Starbuck?

Fate. The word came to him unbidden.

Hadn't she told him to follow the stars?

Looking at her, watching her ride, it was as if she was one with her horse and the earth. It was the same way he felt when he was riding without reason, without boundaries, when he could just let Galactica run the way she had been born to.

Something had shifted in him when she'd challenged him. He felt connected to her and if he was honest with himself, more connected to himself. So that was it...he was just following his gut.

So why are you following _behind_ her instead of riding _with_ her? He asked himself angrily.

Spurring Galactica to run faster, he galloped around the edge of her nuggets. Amazingly, they didn't try and stop him from reaching her. If anything they seemed to give him some extra space to come around.

Kara felt him before she saw him pull up next to her. She'd been wondering how long it would take him. Somehow she'd known he wouldn't be able to just blindly follow her to wherever they were going.

"Took you long enough Apollo! Thought I might have to send out a search party."

Lee couldn't see her mouth but he was pretty sure that she was smiling.

"Aw Starbuck, I didn't know you cared. I was just doing a little reconnaissance first…"

He made a point to look her over, suddenly aware that his saddle wasn't quite as comfortable as it had been a few minutes ago.

_Who knew that he'd had a thing for a woman wearing chaps?_

"That's some ride you've got there Starbuck." He remarked, a small smirk on his face.

"Ha!" Starbuck laughed and pulled her bandana down.

Lee couldn't help himself, his eyes went right to her lips.

She licked them, slowly.

"Yeah…you like my ride Apollo?"

His eyes reluctantly left her mouth to meet her gaze and Starbuck felt like she'd just caught on fire from some of the Chief's brew. Gods the man was sexy!

Lee resisted the urge to yank her off her saddle and into his, but he couldn't help the fact that when he spoke his voice came out low and more like a growl than his own.

"I'm just waiting to show you how much."

Oh FRAK this was going to be fun, Starbuck thought to herself.

"Well you know…" She started, copying his low growl, "not just any old man can ride on my six…"

Lee raised an eyebrow at her.

"That's right Apollo. You're going to have to earn it. We'll start tonight. Hope you're luckier at cards than my last opponent."

Something green and ugly reared its head behind Lee's eyes at the thought of her having another "opponent".

"Frak!" He hissed out through clenched teeth. Cards? She was going to make him play cards?

Kara returned the raised eyebrow. He picked up things quickly. She liked that in a man.

"Frak Apollo? Well I don't know...I guess we'll just have to wait and see...won't we?"

Something dangerous lit up in his eyes and it sent a thrill down her spine.

"Oh and Apollo…I hope you've got a good campfire story up your sleeve."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Don't any of it and this is just for fun

Archive: Sure but let me know where

Femme – you have a deal! I'm seeing a lot of hits but where are those reviews – come on everyone, hit the cute little button. Feedback is greatly appreciated. BTW, this chapter was getting so long that I had to split the card game from the campfire stories...but never fear, Lee's story is coming :)

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**The Wild, Wild West – The Big Blind**

They reached base camp exactly 33 minutes ahead of schedule.

Kara knew she had pushed their horses hard, harder than was necessary and Chief would be all over her ass, but she was looking forward to finding out if Lee was all bark and no bite. And she was _really_ hoping for the latter.

Pulling Viper up to the hitching post, she hopped off smoothly and handed the reigns to Chief.

"Dammit Starbuck! How many times do I have to tell you that these aren't machines?" He yelled at her while leading Viper and the other nugget's horses to the water trough.

Starbuck smirked. "Until I decide to listen Chief."

Chief shook his head. These were his horses and HIS area and why couldn't she just…

"Who the hell is that?" Chief asked, suddenly noticing the extra rider who just happened to be wearing a uniform.

Starbuck didn't take prisoners…

Lee had been waiting patiently for someone to acknowledge his presence; he hopped off his horse and held his hand out to the scowling man.

"Staff Sergeant Lee Adama."

"That's Apollo." Starbuck replied at the exact same moment.

Lee turned to stare at Kara, crossing his arms, his eyes issuing a silent challenge.

"Don't mind the uniform Chief, he's having an identity crisis. He's really a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Lee sputtered. "I am NOT having an identity crisis!"

Chief regarded the two, trying to avoid the sparks flying out of their eyes.

Leave it to Starbuck to pick up a company man. This would prove to make for a very interesting campfire tonight. It would definitely mean he'd have to break out some of his special brew. He couldn't wait to get back to Cally to tell her.

"Is he a prisoner?" Chief questioned, taking Apollo's horses reigns without asking.

"That's a very good question Chief. While tying him up certainly has its possibilities…I think I'd rather let him decide. Apollo, did you come with us willingly?"

She faced him, hands on those cursed lovely hips of hers, forcing his hand.

If he said "yes", then he was a deserter…the lowest of the low…if he said "no", then he became her prisoner with no possibility of being her equal…of exploring what was happening between them. And damn her if she didn't know it.

"What's it going to be Apollo?" She pushed.

Lee straightened his back, his jaw clenched. He did NOT like being backed into a corner. Later tonight, he would show her just how much, in keeping with his earlier comment.

"Yes."

Just one simple word and he had sealed his own fate. Lee Adama, the deserter, had now become Apollo, the bandit. Who would have known it could be that easy?

Starbuck's face lit up and she smiled like that cat had caught the canary. And crazily, the thought that he had made her happy with his choice, made him smile back.

**Later – by the campfire**

"Lay 'em down Racetrack!" Starbuck announced with half of a cigar hanging out the side of her mouth and a cup of Chief's brew in the other.

He didn't know quite what he'd been imagining earlier in the day but Lee was absolutely certain that it hadn't looked like this.

The group was tight, like a family might be, except that no one used first names and they were all fast on their way to being sloppily drunk.

Whatever Chief put in his brew, Lee was pretty sure it was illegal.

Starbuck. Chief. Racetrack. Hotdog. Crash. Iguana. TL, which was actually short for Toaster Lover, he'd found out, due to a legendary affair with one Sioux Medicine Man's daughter.

And the list went on…he included. Apollo.

None of them had any interest in him as Lee Adama, son of Major William Adama. No, it wasn't about the past at all; in fact it seemed to be a subject that was off the table. They each shared stories of how they had gotten their new name but nothing from before…and he'd noticed that when Iguana had started to mention something about her past that Starbuck had effectively silenced her with one steely look.

He'd definitely ask her about that later when they were alone.

But in reality, all that seemed to matter to them was the quest for California. They told stories of gold-filled rivers and enough land for everyone. Enough land so they could finally stop riding.

It seemed like a dream, albeit a nice one, to Lee.

California? Was this just another made up word of Starbuck's? A way for her to keep the group in line, so they could all survive out here with the toasters?

If so, then she was a brilliant if mildly sadistic leader. People would do almost anything for the promise of the dream.

He should know…he'd been following his fathers dream for him his whole life.

Kara threw a sideways glance at Lee, trying to gauge his reaction to the evening. He looked deep in thought…and not about her. That needed to change.

"So Apollo…" She leaned over, removed the cigar from her mouth and blew a small circle of smoke to his side.

His eyes followed the smoke and then honed in once again on her lips.

_If I don't get to taste her soon…_

"Up here Apollo!" She remarked, her fingers pointing from her lips to her eyes.

_She was having a hard enough time concentrating on her game without him staring at her lips like a hungry man…_

A small laugh escaped her as she took a swig out of her cup. Thank god for the scalding hell that was Chief's brew. It was enough to clear anyone's head.

Slowly Lee raised his eyes to hers, not bothering to mask the desire there. And he noticed Hotdog avert his eyes, as if witnessing something he shouldn't.

"Not used to men that can multi-task Starbuck?" He asked her just under his breath.

A quick flash of something behind her eyes and then her Starbuck façade returned.

"If you think you're so good at it, why don't you show us what you've got while your busy exercising that pretty mouth of yours?" She retorted, gesturing to his cards.

Lee laughed. He had to give it to her; she knew how to dish it out. It was time to see if she could take it as well.

"Well alright then…but only because you asked so nicely…" He said, moving in closer to her, cards in hand.

His wolf inside was **clearly** visible now. Maybe she'd pushed him too far in calling his mouth pretty…but it was, far too pretty for that masculine body accompanying it.

Tearing her eyes from his, she looked down as he revealed his cards, shock evident on her face. Full colors…but that was impossible unless…

"Royal Flush!"

"You cheated." Starbuck accused half-heartedly.

"Takes one Starbuck…" Lee told her with a wide smug grin on his face.

"So now that I've proved that I'm far superior to your last opponent, I'm going to show you just how well I can follow orders..."

Starbuck didn't even have time to blink before his mouth took hers.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Don't any of it and this is just for fun

Archive: Sure but let me know where

Please, please, please Read and Review. Authors live by feedback, good and bad, so we can make the next chapter even better. Thanks so much!!!!

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**The Wild, Wild West – Down the River**

Not only did he take her mouth, he possessed it. That was the only coherent thought that Starbuck could manage as she allowed herself to completely relinquish herself to the onslaught that was Apollo.

He rolled her into the dirt. He grabbed her chaps, pulling her to him so closely that she was pretty sure that they were sharing DNA. And yet somehow, he managed to be gentle…not gentle as if she were fragile, but gentle as if she were a horse he was training or a baby he was holding. There was strength in his gentleness, the kind of strength she hadn't experienced before.

It was fascinating. It was consuming, taking her breath away and replacing it with his as he breathed with her. It was also scary as hell and once again, Apollo had crossed the lines…taken her in front of her nuggets where she absolutely couldn't rely on his strength if she wanted their respect.

They would talk later, that is if they could get past frakking. Because she was utterly going to frak his brains out later God willing – there was always Chief's brew to consider and she knew it could take down even the most virile of men.

She allowed herself a few more seconds of bliss and then she threw him off of her as if she'd been burned…which she had, only it was the kind of burn that she knew would simmer under her skin much too long.

Lee didn't have time to register that their mouths had disengaged. He was too busy hoping that he hadn't bruised a few ribs or worse and that his ass wasn't on fire. She'd thrown him awfully close to the fire and since she'd already branded him with her taste tonight, he didn't need a repeat that was sure not to be nearly as pleasant.

So he sputtered and he picked himself up gingerly, rubbing a hip and waiting for her to say whatever it was she needed to. He was quickly understanding that groping her in public was not the smartest thing to do but he was worried that she might not let him in private…that she might pull a Starbuck and pull away, leaving him to wonder when she might be back. And he wondered why this all felt so familiar and how he could possibly know these things about her after only a few hours.

"Well damn Apollo! You are a man of your word after all - a cheat, but a man of your word. I can appreciate that. It's too bad for you that I'm such a sore loser. I think it's time for you to tell us your campfire story…and well, it better be just about frakking perfect or my men here might just decide that you just aren't worth keeping around. And that would be a damn shame, seeing as I'm not quite done with you. Yet."

Starbuck winked at him when she finished, picked up her glass and drained the contents; she then promptly threw her cards into the fire in front her.

Her nuggets let out audible gasps – they only had a few decks left and they weren't that easy to come by.

"Never keep unlucky cards around. Consider that lesson number 2014. Now I believe that Apollo has a story to tell us."

Lee smothered the desire to drag her off somewhere private. Somehow she had managed to get the upper hand again when he desperately wanted them to be equals. No matter, he'd give her what she wanted and then some.

He moved over between the Chief and his mate, Cally, holding out his cup. Chief promptly filled it, one eyebrow cocked, just waiting to see what happened next. It was one thing to see Starbuck dallying and quite another to see her flustered a bit, which she definitely was.

Starbuck didn't waste much and cards were high up there on the list of things you didn't just throw away.

Apollo took a large swig from his cup, looked around, pausing at each and every face and began.

"It started when I was about 7, the dream that is. I'm out in space, on a large battleship and she's called Galactica – it's where I got the name for my horse."

He pauses to see if they are shocked, but the faces greeting him are leaning in and intrigued…all except for Starbuck, who leans back and pretends to yawn, like she's already bored.

_Just wait Starbuck…just wait…he thinks._

"They've been attacking us for forever it seems…lately it's been every 33 minutes. And I'm flying my Viper, that's my fighter ship…she's a beauty of a thing, all sleek lines and mechanical genius, almost like the perfect woman that you've got beneath…"

With almost a scowl on her face, Starbuck glares at him and Lee cuts that sentence off. He's frustrated but not stupid.

"And well, you get my point. We just can't seem to get ahead of them. Each FTL jump they find us and sleep is impossible and I've had to resort to demanding that my pilots take Stims to stay awake. How are they following us? Is there a traitor on board? How many more fighters do we have to lose? These are the thoughts going through my head…"

He trails off.

Iguana speaks up. "Who Apollo? Who is attacking you?"

He's rewarded by another glaring look from Starbuck, however, instead of allowing it to shut him up, he shoots her a smile and takes another sip of the brew that is scalding his throat but also making him feel slightly invincible.

"Well, I'll tell you…they are about the scariest thing you could imagine. Cylons, we call them and they are scary because we built them…out of machines…to make our life easier. But they got smart and now they've destroyed our world and we're on the run with only ships in space and a small colony of people looking for us to save them from extinction from an enemy built with our own hands. They even look like us now, so you don't really know who is your enemy and who is your friend. There are nights I wake up and I find myself praying to Gods that I don't even believe in…"

Starbuck snorts loudly, ignoring the sudden insane beating of her heart, finding a way to somehow mutter under her breath. "Right. Cylons. Good one Apollo."

But suddenly the men are responding, whether testosterone-induced bravery has kicked in or just sheer interest, they want more.

**TL** – "It reminds me of the Indians."

**Racetrak **– "What did you do next?"

**Hotdog** – "What's a Viper Apollo?"

**Kat** - "Stims? What's that?"

"Hold on, hold on. I promise I'll tell you the whole story, just give me time. I'm still having the dreams…almost as if this is all happening in another universe somewhere so you'll have to bear with me."

The nuggets nod their agreement and settle back in for the long haul, as an amazed Starbuck takes in the scene.

He had them, HER crew…and quietly, simply, he had taken them all in within a few hours. She loved him and hated him for it but she couldn't even process that thought right now. The only thing going through her mind was well, madness.

Madness because she'd been having the same dreams almost her entire life but up until now she'd believed them just that, dreams. And she couldn't help but wonder if maybe they weren't more…because she'd seen the Cylons and she knew every nook and cranny of Galactica and she knew exactly how to rebuild a Viper that had been shot out of the sky. But she'd never breathed a word of it to anyone.

She liked living. Things less crazy than that could get you strung up behind a horse out here.

But more importantly had been his naming. Oh sure, she'd named him Apollo, but it _hadn't _been by accident.

She'd named him after her soul mate from those dreams…the one she'd flown with and ran with and frakked with…and now, suddenly, he was right in front of her and she had absolutely no idea what to do.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Don't any of it and this is just for fun

Archive: Sure but let me know where

I'm sorry it took me so long to update – I hope people are still reading. This is a more mushy chapter than I might normally write but what the heck! On a random note, as I sat down to begin writing this the song "Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi came on the radio so I figured that writing this chapter the way I did was fate. I mean, really, how often does that song come on? Enjoy and please, read and review!

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**The Wild, Wild West – Not Just the Luck of the Draw**

So Starbuck did what she always did when she didn't know what to do. She walked away.

Lee watched as a too quiet Starbuck silently slipped off her seat and headed away from the campfire. No one else seemed to think there was anything wrong but he _knew, _just absolutely knew, that something was up.

The nuggets kept firing questions at him, which he couldn't just ignore but he kept his eye on the direction that Starbuck was heading so he could follow her in a bit.

He thought about yelling out to her, telling her to stop, that he wasn't done with his story yet, but something told him not to. Whatever had made her get up and walk away was clearly something that she wasn't willing to share, at least not with the group.

Hopefully later she'd be ready to share it with him. He'd have to slow up on Chief's brew though if he was still going to be coherent when later arrived.

So he set down his cup and continued, already thinking of a good stopping point.

"And then the President of the Colonies tells us that she's dying…"

**Outside camp**

Starbuck sat down on her favorite rock, laid back with her hands behind her head and looked up at the stars.

It was impossible. It had to be…otherwise she must be certifiably insane.

She was frakked up, difficult, stubborn - she knew that much, but until this moment "insane" hadn't been a member on her long list of attributes. And she really didn't want it to be now, but the other possible explanations made even less sense. Plus, they were scary, more scary then the almighty Starbuck wanted to admit.

Thinking back to earlier in the day, she realized that Lee had never asked her what the name of her horse was and she allowed herself a small satisfied smile.

Later when he sought her out (which she knew he would), she would reveal that little tidbit of information and see what he thought of THAT. She had a feeling that he would instinctively know that she hadn't named it in honor of that particular kind of snake.

No, _Apollo_ would know.

She almost couldn't wait to see his face.

But what did it all mean?

She reached under her shirt and pulled out her dog tags that she'd kept from her life before this. The life where she'd believed in order and a right way of doing things. Sure the army had given her a few things but once the dreams had started coming in bright streaming color and she saw how harmful large unified bodies could be, human or otherwise…well, she'd bailed. Quick and fast, the way she did everything.

Snorting, she thought about how easy it had been to become a rebel. She wondered if Lee had been thinking the same thing earlier when she'd pressed him on whether he had come willingly. She was willing to bet he had. He may not have known it until that moment but he was a rebel too. She knew him…knew him better than she knew herself and vice-versa.

Or at least she did in her dreams. Could she allow herself to dare to hope that it might just be the same here and now?

Maybe she really was insane.

Closing her eyes, she quietly prayed to the stars as she always did when she was out here alone with only pinpoints of light between her and the darkness. She imagined she was in her viper gliding through space as she began to speak.

"Goddess Pithia…here my prayers…"

**A little while later**

She hadn't been hard to find, not that this surprised Lee. He had a feeling that while Starbuck put up a good front, underneath it all, she was a lonely soul looking for comfort. Just like the rest of them.

He was still reeling from the revelation that Chief had purposefully let slip as Lee walked past him to leave camp in search of her.

"Her horse's name is Viper you know."

That's all he said, like it meant nothing and everything all at once. He couldn't have been more right.

Lee had never been a believer in the extraordinary, at least not until now.

There wasn't any other explanation for the connection he had immediately felt with her. It had been as if he knew her. He couldn't have imagined at the time that she was the woman in his dreams.

But she was. He had never felt so absolutely certain of anything as he was of this. It was absurd. It was crazy. It was all the impossible things that seemed so utterly possible when he was with _her_ in his dreams.

"Incredible."

He hadn't meant to speak out loud but it was too late now.

Starbuck sat up quickly, turning his direction with a scowl on her face.

He knew that look. She'd been thinking, just like he had, and it was scaring the frak out of her just as it was him.

So he sat down next to her, watching her face he did so. It was impossible to miss the look of vulnerability on her features even with the inky sky around them.

He knew she might bolt at any second and he desperately didn't want that to happen. So he did the only thing that he seemed right. He took her in his arms, enfolded himself around her, his face in her neck and his lips nuzzling her ear.

"I've missed you Starbuck." He told her, knowing it to be true.

Instead of pulling away from him, she pulled him closer. He felt her breath catch, could sense that she was holding herself together by a very slim thread so he just continued to hold her tightly to him.

There weren't any of her nuggets around, she didn't have to be strong, and he wasn't about to let her get away from again.

He was hesitant to move an inch, afraid he might spook her, but then she moved her head so that there lips were almost touching. There was moisture in her eyes as she lifted her eyes to his.

"I've missed you too Apollo." She whispered back.


End file.
